tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88037862236854677132024-03-05T17:31:03.915-08:00Beers I Have KnownJames Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-66207107418975879972009-12-31T09:00:00.000-08:002009-12-31T09:17:47.276-08:00Nøgne-Ø Winter Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJrHcR3E3vHiMcFHhEJjNhfIfdMIjy2jLbUrPMARnX9KYXABD3sLMz5k09YnlkY6cqEhnW3XOOWVYNh0YjLG0XIShP8q95qdL6AxUct6jUvzHcl-i1gmIONNutZ73ft0-uRZLiHEWVAc/s1600-h/xmas+004.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJrHcR3E3vHiMcFHhEJjNhfIfdMIjy2jLbUrPMARnX9KYXABD3sLMz5k09YnlkY6cqEhnW3XOOWVYNh0YjLG0XIShP8q95qdL6AxUct6jUvzHcl-i1gmIONNutZ73ft0-uRZLiHEWVAc/s320/xmas+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421446644985181714" border="0" /></a>Nøgne-Ø Winter Ale, Norway, 8.5%<br /><br />Ah yes, another exciting Nøgne-Ø installment!<br /><br />This is dark. Very dark. Opaque, with a thick, creamy cappuccino head.<br />It smells grainy - a little brown sugar. It's got a thick mouthfeel, toasty, caramel, yet some fairly bold hops. Almost like a stout with some American C-hops thrown in. Crazy.<br /><br />There are some slight phenols, finishes pretty hot. This warms you UP.<br /><br />I like it.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-69438940756352218012009-12-31T08:54:00.001-08:002009-12-31T09:00:08.371-08:00Orlando Brewing Partners European Pilz<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxxy3L7BE_CnTBhzsiI2GrzXvmii9qkow-iLunTvFzx2cuFUpf_uCLvuhyphenhyphenpvyKXYStDCdJxZtq25iUOSmepW6tmla-rIoblLUkiaKFHklX4pjqS6gsKbqgy-i532TJXOFIAmC0YxBRkg/s1600-h/xmas+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxxy3L7BE_CnTBhzsiI2GrzXvmii9qkow-iLunTvFzx2cuFUpf_uCLvuhyphenhyphenpvyKXYStDCdJxZtq25iUOSmepW6tmla-rIoblLUkiaKFHklX4pjqS6gsKbqgy-i532TJXOFIAmC0YxBRkg/s320/xmas+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421445083940586578" border="0" /></a>Orlando Brewing European Pilz, Orlando, FL, 5.2%<br /><br />I'd heard about the Orlando Brewing Partners brewery, but their beers are a little hard to find, even though they're about an hour's drive from here. Luckily, the Whole Foods in Orlando stocks plenty. I grabbed this pilsner with high hopes. And hey, it's organic!<br /><br />It pours a nice golden yellow, with a monster ice cream scoop head. It smells grassy, with a little spicy hop scent in there.<br /><br />The taste? Just as it smells, with the spicy, grassy czech hops up front. It's nice and peppery, crisp. Very delicious - we'll have to pick up more of these on our next Orlando run.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-48488145803210943982009-12-31T08:49:00.001-08:002009-12-31T08:53:57.999-08:00Ridgeway Brewing Lump of Coal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskAZO7BdC_Si8jUjGknqEhY8-DtIWUInEP1qrqe6y9DwA8tRa5E4VKCyiCXcZvPsLX7CR5QLB_E1x8oG_FvMp192B2tHLKIY7RfcATEwbgqYK1kmwJRpcaezNBrG7g_T0uCkrn9UYXWM/s1600-h/xmas+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskAZO7BdC_Si8jUjGknqEhY8-DtIWUInEP1qrqe6y9DwA8tRa5E4VKCyiCXcZvPsLX7CR5QLB_E1x8oG_FvMp192B2tHLKIY7RfcATEwbgqYK1kmwJRpcaezNBrG7g_T0uCkrn9UYXWM/s320/xmas+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421443932559335138" border="0" /></a>Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout, Ridgeway Brewing, UK, 8% abv<br /><br />Well, you're certainly not a bad boy if you receive this lump of coal in your stocking!<br /><br />This pours a dark, brown-black, with a nice fluffy tan head. There's a big malty smell - fruity and sweet.<br /><br />The taste is also a big punch of malty sweetness, followed by some alcohol, then gentle toast. It finishes fairly dry. Really yummy!James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-65207541676920082782009-12-15T12:49:00.000-08:002009-12-15T12:59:31.050-08:00Fantôme de Noël<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ZLGCqNpyyTgCecRAuHfB_7c9efqnfqtmEjbRpEGASlzRtUS6dx7ehT0JZPWhc7Il2Hn5i5q5n7mLqb8HXZWUyVnyVlJvn70QkC1buNW0ooZpTm_m0T-SUHhdRPL0znPSUNKfqaz6vA/s1600-h/fantome+noel.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ZLGCqNpyyTgCecRAuHfB_7c9efqnfqtmEjbRpEGASlzRtUS6dx7ehT0JZPWhc7Il2Hn5i5q5n7mLqb8HXZWUyVnyVlJvn70QkC1buNW0ooZpTm_m0T-SUHhdRPL0znPSUNKfqaz6vA/s320/fantome+noel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415568383432173698" border="0" /></a>Fantôme de Noël, Belgian Christmas beer, 10%, Belgium.<br /><br />Fantôme is one of the breweries that I heard ordered a lot by Americans when I was sitting in the <a href="http://www.deliriumcafe.be/">Delirium Cafe</a>. I assumed it was pretty hard to get in the States, but with 2000+ choices on the menu, I never got around to it.<br />Turns out, it's not too rare over here, and I picked up this bottle of their Christmas beer a while back....I think it was from <span style="font-style: italic;">last</span> holiday, but that's ok - for this style, it might actually taste better having aged a bit. Oddly enough, it's both corked and capped for good measure. Always fun to have to use two tools to open a beer!<br /><br />It pours a nice reddish-brown, with a small, tight head. It smells fruity, slightly funky, with a whisper of spice.<br />The taste caught me by surprise - tart fruit, cherry, apple, slight cinnamon and spice lingering...but very restrained. It tastes very much like a lambic. I think Cari found it to be too sour, but I thought it was delightful.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-13786913011457650382009-12-15T12:43:00.001-08:002009-12-15T12:49:17.100-08:00Lucky Beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSTaXIL6FMwkQnWhmD-nFuNJ_dmjWfZnxS-S8w7dl7TCK7XuCKkTTEFJt4TCafMsOycaeFDdB1Ju_2l0_Mf-O5abp6f7CeMV9_95_syXPFVxziKuPdKcym7Sc0GeVv2Q07dnHkwTomFM/s1600-h/lucky.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvSTaXIL6FMwkQnWhmD-nFuNJ_dmjWfZnxS-S8w7dl7TCK7XuCKkTTEFJt4TCafMsOycaeFDdB1Ju_2l0_Mf-O5abp6f7CeMV9_95_syXPFVxziKuPdKcym7Sc0GeVv2Q07dnHkwTomFM/s320/lucky.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415566595206040722" border="0" /></a>Lucky Beer from <a href="http://www.luckydrinkco.com/">Lucky Drink Company</a>, 4.8%, China.<br /><br />I bought this for the same reason everyone else does...really the only reason anybody should: the bottle. How can you not love a laughing Buddha filled with beer?<br /><br />It pours crystal clear - a lovely gold with a head that disappears in seconds. It smells like corn. Maybe some Saaz hops in there...but it's not altogether pleasant.<br />It tastes kind of like an import version of Budweiser, big corn, a little skunk funkiness, and fairly watery to finish. It's not great, but probably a good way to wash down some Chinese takeout.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-1164493826845331532009-12-15T12:37:00.001-08:002009-12-15T12:43:10.327-08:00Wychwood Hobgoblin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3bQFYmnEUGnpbBIeM68QSqfsETUoJgiMvYtJCIymJb1JBf-in8dagwRvGwqd7IsVhbqMLJCh3e4eemsmMkZOftsnY1n0l-ehu7J8oMcWWs3FR-rE1TC7P5ftEhrVD0Ddam1poRyk0QU/s1600-h/hobgoblin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3bQFYmnEUGnpbBIeM68QSqfsETUoJgiMvYtJCIymJb1JBf-in8dagwRvGwqd7IsVhbqMLJCh3e4eemsmMkZOftsnY1n0l-ehu7J8oMcWWs3FR-rE1TC7P5ftEhrVD0Ddam1poRyk0QU/s320/hobgoblin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415565039291185186" border="0" /></a>Wychwood's Hobgoblin Dark English Ale, 5.2%, UK.<br />Nick mentioned he grabbed one of these at the Fermentation Lounge, and I remembered passing this over a few times at our local store, so I had to give it a try.<br /><br />It pours dark, but fairly clear brown - just a hint of red, with a nice pat of foam on top.<br />It smells of molasses and fruit, and the taste follows with a big fruity presence, slightly apple-y. The mouthfeel is fairly light. There's some malty biscuit action going on there. Even though there's tons of flavor, it drops away quickly. This is one easy-drinking brew!James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-42422382875140138962009-12-15T12:29:00.001-08:002009-12-15T12:37:11.277-08:00Cigar City Big Sound<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx5qe5txI-Z-9m2Bv4TUcxAC5wmnAI7e7D81LsOI9JROZ3t3dN6ZQkFZLXlrucrclrQxXRZXibmCUxC99XSozKGeXY7tfog0E_8izFVEEDYchBvJXcYfv78NnlgZGSJam7Z6HoUF5XCE/s1600-h/big+sound.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx5qe5txI-Z-9m2Bv4TUcxAC5wmnAI7e7D81LsOI9JROZ3t3dN6ZQkFZLXlrucrclrQxXRZXibmCUxC99XSozKGeXY7tfog0E_8izFVEEDYchBvJXcYfv78NnlgZGSJam7Z6HoUF5XCE/s320/big+sound.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415563084569719922" border="0" /></a>Cigar City's Big Sound Scotch Ale, 8.5%, Tampa, FL<br /><br />Another offering from a local-ish brewing company. I'm always excited to spy a new Cigar City style on the shelf...but holy crap, they're expensive! I think this bottle was about 12 bucks.<br /><br />This pours a light coffee brown with a thin tan head. As you can see in the picture I flubbed the pour and dumped all the yeast in, which is why it's so muddy. I need to remember that these guys bottle-ferment.<br />It smells malty - molasses, coffee. The taste is slightly toasty, roasty...maybe a little smoky? There's plenty of malt sweetness and some alcohol presence in the background. There's a surprising hop balance, it's not nearly the malt bomb I was expecting.<br /><br />I only wish this were about half the price, so I could keep some in my fridge at all times.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-16572691798439505852009-10-30T13:34:00.000-07:002009-10-30T13:40:35.199-07:00Stone 13th Anniversary Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRCfIYD2TRKY5fpluk4E1Dw5y_kkuQarjFSm2QoT-GFVXws7KiWTFWHx1qMa9EuEvGJIHn9p4tTMHLvxYzYkmSW_xijIT4msrmHppzbybcjB52YqIw3T3Qky-gwxSNS48VUA9zehbq6E/s1600-h/stone+13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRCfIYD2TRKY5fpluk4E1Dw5y_kkuQarjFSm2QoT-GFVXws7KiWTFWHx1qMa9EuEvGJIHn9p4tTMHLvxYzYkmSW_xijIT4msrmHppzbybcjB52YqIw3T3Qky-gwxSNS48VUA9zehbq6E/s320/stone+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398494480633645826" border="0" /></a>Stone's 13th Anniversary Ale, 9.5%<br /><br />Hey, Happy Anniversary! This was another Whole Foods find - expensive, but in spite of its "collectible limited-edition" status, the bottle is printed with instructions not to cellar this beer, but to drink it immediately. Can do!<br /><br />The color is just beautiful...a nice dark, copper brown, with a nice head.<br /><br />It smells seriously of some citrusy hops...a little orangey.<br />The taste is initially a bit bitter, some toastiness, followed by the firm hand of the grapefruity hops. Spicy, heavy mouthfeel...but not quite as hop-heavy. There are some low malty chocolatey notes in the back that tie everything together. Really interesting stuff.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-66067086617640237252009-10-30T13:25:00.000-07:002009-10-30T13:32:42.183-07:00Nøgne-Ø Saison<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPzU61UBj5K8e7b40l7hIDxC3xDvN5nAUJS4s40SE8P1NR8Kzb23uIZhxI5X_lqRGQ5JAZOS5_pDIBgn84UekfKRJpO0US71Nj44C5zDZGbge1q9xAuJuFPNtfjHGt_ikdcsbDVn5yN8/s1600-h/nogne+saison.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNPzU61UBj5K8e7b40l7hIDxC3xDvN5nAUJS4s40SE8P1NR8Kzb23uIZhxI5X_lqRGQ5JAZOS5_pDIBgn84UekfKRJpO0US71Nj44C5zDZGbge1q9xAuJuFPNtfjHGt_ikdcsbDVn5yN8/s320/nogne+saison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398492271062200386" border="0" /></a>Nøgne-Ø Saison, 6.5% from Norway.<br /><br />Ahhh, more Nøgne-Ø... I was extremely pleased to find another variety from my favorite Norwegian brewery at Whole Foods in Orlando. I'm not a huge fan of saisons, but I'm learning to appreciate them.<br /><br />This one pours a hazy golden orange, with just a light dusting of foam. It smells sweet, yeasty, but doesn't have that barnyard funk a lot of saisons have.<br /><br />The taste however, POW. It's starts mouth-puckeringly sour, with plenty of horsey funkitude. The hops chime in. This is some complex stuff, but it some how ends clean, and leaves you reaching for the next sip.<br /><br />Glad to see this one didn't disappoint. Now if I could just find their Imperial Stout...James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-37723289511563293432009-10-30T13:13:00.001-07:002009-10-30T13:25:43.591-07:00Cigar City Guava Grove Saison<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy71R8xz3pKntb5Clrx3B6DP807RSdg0foylPfMp84AvH_G90XyaI1m1dTMsUXMZbzLbRhO_YmnSFenH-6Lei-yTc28no7NvSjf-wnY3O8mllm1l8ifECDuSkt2ExqzkiZY3reRL6Sls/s1600-h/guava.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFy71R8xz3pKntb5Clrx3B6DP807RSdg0foylPfMp84AvH_G90XyaI1m1dTMsUXMZbzLbRhO_YmnSFenH-6Lei-yTc28no7NvSjf-wnY3O8mllm1l8ifECDuSkt2ExqzkiZY3reRL6Sls/s320/guava.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398488898555219570" border="0" /></a>Cigar City's Guava Grove Saison, 8% abv.<br /><br />Here's one from a new Tampa brewery, <a href="http://www.cigarcitybeer.com/">Cigar City</a>.<br />(Interestingly enough, the head brewer used to brew for the greatly-missed Buckhead Brewery in Tallahassee.)<br /><br />I allegedly had this before as a sampler at Coaster's, where they had a small keg on hand (that promptly ran out with my order). I think I got served something else with no explanation. I wasn't surprised to find this bottle tasted a little different.<br /><br />This pours a pleasant red-orange with a massive head. It smells like guava, as it should, since it's fermented with guava. There's some Belgian spice aroma, clove, some funkiness (appropriate for a saison).<br />The taste is fruity, grainy, spicy...some yeast goodness in there. It ends sweet, but crisp. It's very refreshing, yet very complicated. It's a little champagne-like in some respects.<br />Exciting stuff from this new brewery. I grabbed both offerings available at Downtown Produce...the Scotch Ale is calling...James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-47620197985141361352009-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:002009-10-30T13:12:54.970-07:00Boulder Beer Buffalo Gold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO6WiYYsRwDqFOPGw7jhM-GhJ0_SPHKrq3rBTuxubWZFMTnTerMZ0oAb6B6f03oUj8WoqDl0coBDwj0Krh7ND8ncCbHRVa2aKhtKwMu01NR_zJNO9pV1KBbhfahHmmHqmqWgzmyt3NjM/s1600-h/buffalo+gold.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO6WiYYsRwDqFOPGw7jhM-GhJ0_SPHKrq3rBTuxubWZFMTnTerMZ0oAb6B6f03oUj8WoqDl0coBDwj0Krh7ND8ncCbHRVa2aKhtKwMu01NR_zJNO9pV1KBbhfahHmmHqmqWgzmyt3NjM/s320/buffalo+gold.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398487515775634706" border="0" /></a><br />Buffalo Gold golden ale from Boulder Beer, 4.95%<br /><br />I've had this one before, and couldn't pass up grabbing another sixer for $3.99 on super-sale at Downtown Produce!<br /><br />It pours a beautiful orange-golden color, with a nice head that dissipates quickly. Extreme sparkling clarity.<br /><br />It smells a little of green apples, some grain.<br />The taste is fully of appley-honey sweetness, medium body, with some earthy hop bitterness to ground it all. There's a nice crisp, dry finish, making this really easy-drinking. It's a steal at this price!James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-72894374847069826522009-10-30T13:01:00.000-07:002009-10-30T13:07:32.924-07:00Hofbraü Oktoberfest<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf2fUxlpWmy6zxAzWLQlEZP7OktWc8j40E7v3GWBr2JlgnBob5HtqanH78nlmQ5MvrDOIunU536tdvT8PItDu63kmWCBEod7Z0L0OsjBq54Ws5RMomQOtcgICVn8X4xhWbaIuoOHXyzI/s1600-h/hofbrau.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf2fUxlpWmy6zxAzWLQlEZP7OktWc8j40E7v3GWBr2JlgnBob5HtqanH78nlmQ5MvrDOIunU536tdvT8PItDu63kmWCBEod7Z0L0OsjBq54Ws5RMomQOtcgICVn8X4xhWbaIuoOHXyzI/s320/hofbrau.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398486107332097794" border="0" /></a>Hofbraü Oktoberfest - 6% abv, 11.2 oz bottle<br /><br />Hey it's time for Oktoberfest! Ok, so that was actually <span style="font-style: italic;">last</span> month, but still.<br /><br />This pours a lovely light golden color with a beautiful head. It smells grassy, maybe a little piney.<br /><br />First sip gives you some nice spicy hops with plenty of carbonation, some sweet grain, and nice grassy hops in the aftertaste. Some complain that it's not like most Oktoberfest beers, which are a little darker and sweeter, but it's a lovely crisp and satisfying beer. But what's up with the tiny bottles?James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-22102462819223358602009-10-18T13:41:00.001-07:002009-10-18T13:48:00.952-07:00Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxqvTFa0KEaDPEC3i-wPw8smvJIx1DpsZ85-r7t6eiF5YO-05tjUCVDIdGdYDkuba-Za3csPXLQy9pEAoP_SQQsZ9Au2qMLtus3UT01Pdx2gOZyA-cUKHLqCmHlw-GJesZOutqV-cnpE/s1600-h/BORIS.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxqvTFa0KEaDPEC3i-wPw8smvJIx1DpsZ85-r7t6eiF5YO-05tjUCVDIdGdYDkuba-Za3csPXLQy9pEAoP_SQQsZ9Au2qMLtus3UT01Pdx2gOZyA-cUKHLqCmHlw-GJesZOutqV-cnpE/s320/BORIS.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394043312230838770" border="0" /></a>BORIS the Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout - 9.4% from Akron Ohio.<br />Apparently BORIS stands for Bodacious Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout...cute. Apparently, this was an Imperial Stout winner at the Great American Beer Festival.<br />I was excited to see this at a recent trip to the Orlando Whole Foods, since nobody seems to carry this brewery locally.<br /><br />It pours like oil, thick...syrupy, with no head (maybe it's the dishwashing soap we use).<br />It smells like coffee, maybe some molasses. You definitely taste the dark malts...some good roastiness. Thick mouthfeel with an earthy aftertaste. It's sweet, with some snap and a fairly clean aftertaste. Tasty!James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-38191920936083537792009-10-09T13:34:00.001-07:002009-10-09T13:48:45.310-07:00Blue Dawg Wild Blue<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3mi8ye_ZUiGTp6Z2dhARh4ZHH-RQ8RTFl5uYkUyzGpvWfo3kJzwBHvNyNNoT2pL6L2WvaN8k0_OKGbIW_BZiJ1y6_RRyBqKfuHaybZmSUA17dotqsPU8pb9igIS8f_sxrIaZJ61lFLc/s1600-h/wildblue.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3mi8ye_ZUiGTp6Z2dhARh4ZHH-RQ8RTFl5uYkUyzGpvWfo3kJzwBHvNyNNoT2pL6L2WvaN8k0_OKGbIW_BZiJ1y6_RRyBqKfuHaybZmSUA17dotqsPU8pb9igIS8f_sxrIaZJ61lFLc/s320/wildblue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390701680337509394" border="0" /></a>Next up is Wild Blue from "Blue Dawg Brewing", an 8% blueberry lager. The brewing company is in quotes because it's another attempt by Anheiser Busch to fool customers into thinking they're purchasing a craft beer from a small-scale brewery. It kind of reminds me of the Red Dawg/Icehouse marketing schemes of the '90's.<br /><br />It pours a lovely dark reddish-purple, with no head and very few bubbles...probably could have used a more polished glass.<br />It's a little hazy. The smell is super-fruity. Juicy, almost like Belgian yeast.<br /><br />The mouthfeel is thick, heavy, syrupy. There's a massive sweet and somewhat sour punch that tweaks your jaws, followed by a sticky GAH! finish.<br /><br />Cloying, sticky, sweet, fruity...not at all a clean lager flavor anywhere, just something like a really bad grape soda. It's definitely a challenge to finish an entire bottle. I actually like most fruit beers, but this stretches the limits of what can be called beer. It's just ...not really horrible, and you contemplate handing a couple of these to some girl who doesn't like beer...but it leaves you with that horrible end-of-the-drinking-binge-I-might-throw-up feeling.<br />Pass.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-19491068052084094062009-09-25T13:40:00.000-07:002009-09-25T13:48:36.852-07:00Andelot Cuvee Euphorique<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq9cas2wAKBr8AdV4g_YPnsmmGPKTDt6p9vKWKtsBiotFR9mS24jRq1uQVQfBD7xwiuEEF9g0Vq5jjpJWMhqE7WiPKSrtb1Cnliepc3CusDteCt5SlSnNTgfYcXtKl1yOZu0jsI3N__o/s1600-h/Euphorique.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidq9cas2wAKBr8AdV4g_YPnsmmGPKTDt6p9vKWKtsBiotFR9mS24jRq1uQVQfBD7xwiuEEF9g0Vq5jjpJWMhqE7WiPKSrtb1Cnliepc3CusDteCt5SlSnNTgfYcXtKl1yOZu0jsI3N__o/s320/Euphorique.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385508174265281362" border="0" /></a>Andelot's Cuvee Euphorique, Belgian Blonde, 6.5%<br /><br />This is another find from Total Wine that we don't seem to have in stock locally - a Belgian beer I'd never heard of...and a blonde, one of my favorite styles. I was looking forward to this one.<br /><br />It pours a beautiful golden orangey sunset color, with a modest head.<br />The nose is strong - apple, grape, ..very fruit juicy.<br />There's some fruit taste, but it's drier, some malt sweetness that gives way to a nice crisp finish.<br /><br />The carbonation is lively - it's good stuff, a nice clean-tasting Belgian that's pretty refreshing.<br /><br />I even dig the synthetic cork.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-85301836228505452972009-08-30T08:25:00.001-07:002009-08-30T08:29:03.262-07:00Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMbiw_QIxR-x3RXUkmj4hGNLpkEgD41Vf-h4MPrwy3LFA4Q9-8Ee_TVW5OwUQ18P6VR6gVgQklxIVXXfM7hMnl84UtBSICA4quDJLqpVKPak6hvjKPEeFNb8UWEC7rJUAtsbQ0jwEl4s/s1600-h/tummy+time+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMbiw_QIxR-x3RXUkmj4hGNLpkEgD41Vf-h4MPrwy3LFA4Q9-8Ee_TVW5OwUQ18P6VR6gVgQklxIVXXfM7hMnl84UtBSICA4quDJLqpVKPak6hvjKPEeFNb8UWEC7rJUAtsbQ0jwEl4s/s320/tummy+time+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375778517189396178" border="0" /></a>Here's the second in the mix pack of Peak Organic, this time, a nut brown ale. It's interesting to note, they alternate the label photographs, a la Jones Soda.<br /><br />This one presents itself a clear mahogany with a nice sticky head. It smells slightly nutty & sweet. The taste however, is pretty thin. There's a slight suggestion of toast...maybe a little maple syrup?<br /><br />In all, it's pretty mild. Not offensive, but nothing special.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-31218857896650443232009-08-30T04:18:00.001-07:002009-08-30T08:29:16.532-07:00Peak Organic Pale Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLQ0jg3y_DwnI-OsMajQYSW9Wrv1WrQLWrgdCY1zBwRVsXb2DEg1p1FYaeqou0AoEdzhDTPdodlIZi3WVTXQaChzC3T6jlFd58Yt56D5ByXs0j1uVHzgE50tROtJQSGY8_3L7RDcc3gc/s1600-h/tummy+time+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLQ0jg3y_DwnI-OsMajQYSW9Wrv1WrQLWrgdCY1zBwRVsXb2DEg1p1FYaeqou0AoEdzhDTPdodlIZi3WVTXQaChzC3T6jlFd58Yt56D5ByXs0j1uVHzgE50tROtJQSGY8_3L7RDcc3gc/s320/tummy+time+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375714927340881570" border="0" /></a><br />Peak Organic Pale Ale, 5.05% from Portland, ME.<br /><br />Our local beer place was running a crazy sale on a mixed 12 pack...$7.99? Sure, I'll try them. First up is the pale ale. It pours a nice golden brown, with a nice head. I wasn't expecting this to be bottle-finished, so I accidentally muddied an otherwise clear beer with the yeast in the bottom of the bottle.<br /><br />It smells sweet, slightly herbal...the taste is fairly light, with sweetness followed by a nice hop punch and slightly citrus notes.<br />It's an easy drinking little number, with a nice hop presence.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-8499578079466289792009-08-29T15:58:00.000-07:002009-08-29T16:07:40.073-07:00Hevelius Kaper<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiime0X7MPsR0OrTvns8NjDCCKO-TDE13uT4zlybxgC_6Gtdcp-fAk-Mh2GTj07IDi8WLCfjZUdxYb_0y79SShXbaLRYDXpMbvTDF0JcaZPG8bxkpzewvzirkVFzJl1029A7uhyDafNtno/s1600-h/hevelius.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiime0X7MPsR0OrTvns8NjDCCKO-TDE13uT4zlybxgC_6Gtdcp-fAk-Mh2GTj07IDi8WLCfjZUdxYb_0y79SShXbaLRYDXpMbvTDF0JcaZPG8bxkpzewvzirkVFzJl1029A7uhyDafNtno/s320/hevelius.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375526285926893170" border="0" /></a><br />Hevelius Kaper, 8.7%, from Poland.<br /><br />So far I've really just loved every Polish beer I've had...so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's super cheap, and 8.7%! How bad could it be?<br /><br />It pours a light red-amber, sparkling clear. There's a decent head that sticks around. It smells a little bit like light beer - corn, faint hops.<br /><br />The taste, however is nothing like light beer. The hops jump right in with a bitter herbal, thick flavor. There's a slightly dry finish. It's not horrible, but not a standout. Probably won't pick this up again.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-88459901593358235302009-08-15T13:11:00.000-07:002009-08-15T13:26:41.981-07:00Trappistes Rochefort 10<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cVm9gvsUQYp2AU-EHvTRGuz8cEaHjwUMNNmBPFrxjgozr7mPKFuwgbZ6gps1RqO23UmG2STQWMA9ZACWnYsOcoWgasRkaIZe_bfxMbk5W_6lQ6TttKjCWRUSLBLtuFD2SuPJm_Xd6bQ/s1600-h/rochefort.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6cVm9gvsUQYp2AU-EHvTRGuz8cEaHjwUMNNmBPFrxjgozr7mPKFuwgbZ6gps1RqO23UmG2STQWMA9ZACWnYsOcoWgasRkaIZe_bfxMbk5W_6lQ6TttKjCWRUSLBLtuFD2SuPJm_Xd6bQ/s320/rochefort.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370286086800643362" border="0" /></a>Ah, Rochefort 10...A Belgian quadruple, 11.3% !<br /><br />This one's in my top five favorite beers of all time. It's pretty similar to the Westvleteren 12, which is perfection. Although this beer can be found all over the place in the States, I can't seem to get my hands on any (though #8 turns up occasionally). Cari ended up ordering some from BelgiumShop.com and had it shipped to us for my birthday. I've been rationing them out slowly.<br /><br />I'd heard many great things about this brew before my trip to Belgium, so I had this one on my list. When I asked the bartender at the Delirium Cafe if they had any Rochefort 10, he laughed, "I should hope so!". It's like asking Hooters if they have any Bud Light.<br /><br />This is a pretty small bottle, it pours a dark, opaque brown - kind of cloudy looking, with no head. It smells like sweet dark fruit, with plenty of alcohol and malt coming through.<br /><br />The taste is sweet, with molasses and sweet malt, followed by some alcohol burn. It numbs the tongue, yet is surprisingly smooth.<br /><br />This is not beer. It's something bigger, something better, something more important. There's just something different about beer made with love by monks to glorify God, to spread cheer, to fund their operation...whatever the reason, I'm glad they do it.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-87462725697963372342009-08-15T13:02:00.001-07:002009-08-15T13:11:44.803-07:00Baron's Black Wattle Seed Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrb_uo4xdgMn-zQ2W7I6DLSczn6hpdATdq9dKh6GeMR_bFsWPFuXl18vQA9paHDlsUCaAlCMzog3M-hSlC7sCtBxFESHPsM0K_fY2_IrY23gw2h7A67-yqHLQFyfzgoIDRhVDnHGB694/s1600-h/black+wattle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrb_uo4xdgMn-zQ2W7I6DLSczn6hpdATdq9dKh6GeMR_bFsWPFuXl18vQA9paHDlsUCaAlCMzog3M-hSlC7sCtBxFESHPsM0K_fY2_IrY23gw2h7A67-yqHLQFyfzgoIDRhVDnHGB694/s320/black+wattle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370283699675353762" border="0" /></a>Baron's Black Wattle Superior Ale, 5.8%, Wollahra, Australia.<br /><br />I must admit, I'd never heard of Baron's or wattle seed before, and Australian beers are pretty scarce around here, so I was pretty excited to find this at Total Wine in Palm Beach Gardens.<br /><br />It turns out that wattle seed is what Australians call acacia berries...or something. I'm not sure I could identify acacia in a lineup, but I've heard of it, at least.<br /><br />It pours a deep reddish brown with a thick tan head that disappears quickly. It smells like toffee, maybe some molasses. The taste is surprisingly rich - toffee, some chocolate, a little grain and toasty aftertaste, followed by some coffee flavors. All this, while remaining fairly medium-bodied.<br />It's hard to believe it's got a slightly higher alcohol punch.<br />In one word: yum. This was a good find.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-76712331195587064642009-07-31T13:40:00.000-07:002009-07-31T14:02:32.336-07:00Downtown Produce Craft Beer Fest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NlfE92iHT2APJE__O43rJo1fTDP5bFEOU3wq1J9TlXy9SR9UJDlIgaf_PcgMeLGS4WEQHUZjFMSQngvYo6QRqwe1hWRO1DZDlqvhCJtkejhjLiE0MfzK8yEUp16u8sAYJh4_mhA_UM0/s1600-h/produce.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364727061663836082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NlfE92iHT2APJE__O43rJo1fTDP5bFEOU3wq1J9TlXy9SR9UJDlIgaf_PcgMeLGS4WEQHUZjFMSQngvYo6QRqwe1hWRO1DZDlqvhCJtkejhjLiE0MfzK8yEUp16u8sAYJh4_mhA_UM0/s320/produce.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Last weekend we just happened to be going to our local beer supplier (I guess they have more than just beer), <a href="http://www.downtownproduce.com/">Downtown Produce</a>. As we pulled in, we noticed the parking lot was overflowing.<br />"What the? Oh! There's a beer tasting going on today! Sweet!"<br /><br />They had a pretty nice little setup with various brewery reps pouring samples at stations throughout the store.<br /><br />I managed to try (some for the second time):<br /><p><strong>Orange Blossom Pilsner</strong> - A locally owned beer that's brewed by Thomas Creek in Greenville, SC. Tastes the way an orange blossom smells.</p><p><strong>Dogfish Head Midas Touch - </strong>wacky stuff, saffron, grapes - supposedly from an ancient beer recipe.</p><p><strong>Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron</strong> - truly strange. A brown ale that smells like sawdust and tastes like cedar. But in a good way.</p><p><strong>Abita Satsuma Wit - </strong>Mmmm...fruity. Refreshing. Part of their seasonal harvest series.</p><p><strong>Abita Amber - </strong>Pretty light and non-descript. Not offensive, but nothing to write home about.</p><p><strong>Brooklyn Local #2 - </strong>A Belgian strong dark ale, very tasty.</p><p><strong>Harpoon Summer - </strong>This is actually a kolsch, I believe. Seemed kind of flavorless next to the other selections.</p><p><strong>Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils -</strong> Nothing too special. Standard pils, but without much hop bite. </p><p><strong>Oskar Blues Old Chub - </strong>Great Scottish ale, with a hint of smokiness.</p><p><strong>Sierra Nevada Porter - </strong>solid porter, very tasty.</p>James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-60727360850356395272009-07-24T14:00:00.001-07:002009-07-24T14:09:19.265-07:00Nøgne Ø Pale Ale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher1SMH-GPuxN7Ivq0ECwxuMyUK8mKdMF8dXI96fMM33y7n2riIJXb_lUwt1OrUYhg9m1PKwUkMFI4-zTBmCzXpLkpi9fOOnI2TN37nA_OyJOm0YFXNi37NQwKe6vpUQxTzNe4bH_Pjq8/s1600-h/nogne+pale+ale.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362134754622997346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher1SMH-GPuxN7Ivq0ECwxuMyUK8mKdMF8dXI96fMM33y7n2riIJXb_lUwt1OrUYhg9m1PKwUkMFI4-zTBmCzXpLkpi9fOOnI2TN37nA_OyJOm0YFXNi37NQwKe6vpUQxTzNe4bH_Pjq8/s320/nogne+pale+ale.JPG" /></a> Another offering from Nøgne Ø, this time the Pale Ale, 6% abv from Grimstad, Norway.<br /><br />After trying the brown ale, I was pretty excited to see what else Nøgne Ø has available. Unfortunately, this is the only other style I can get around here at the moment, which is probably a good thing, since this 500ml bottle is $5.50.<br /><br />The glass pours a hazy reddish brown with a nice off-white head that fades to a thin coating.<br /><br />The nose is pretty floral, with some grassiness and malt sweetness peeking through.<br /><br />The hops are right up front in the taste, but there's a surprising balance of malt. You kind of expect this to assault your palate, but it immediately eases up with some nice breadiness. The Northern Brewer hops add some earthiness, while the Centennial hits you with some citrus tartness. It finishes fairly crisp, with some slight puckering grapefruit at the very end.<br /><br />Tasty stuff, and the more you drink, the more subdued the bitterness becomes.<br />It's really an interesting variation of the American Pale Ale.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-81183687585957695552009-07-24T08:14:00.000-07:002009-07-24T08:24:27.963-07:00Victory Golden Monkey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKUgUEPtBHFawfkMUwFb4yjIGwrDEyaM_cbt9WFy27pSeeTYLHjvntHVwT2g9xFjQbySoZw_b3C_CbL4zqU6FeF8yszMp680wCrISkawujYtZtQ6UEXdQbwfkYfKElyFy2Gl1HDLKJVE/s1600-h/golden+monkey.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKUgUEPtBHFawfkMUwFb4yjIGwrDEyaM_cbt9WFy27pSeeTYLHjvntHVwT2g9xFjQbySoZw_b3C_CbL4zqU6FeF8yszMp680wCrISkawujYtZtQ6UEXdQbwfkYfKElyFy2Gl1HDLKJVE/s320/golden+monkey.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362045648548987922" border="0" /></a><br />Golden Monkey Tripel from Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, PA, 9.5%<br /><br />Pours a hazy golden yellow with a slight reddish tint and a modest head that quickly disappears.<br />It smells pretty spicy, with yeast and maybe some orange - the alcohol is pretty obvious from the scent.<br /><br />The taste is pretty spicy, too, with some good hops up front, and a pleasant fruity/hoppy aftertaste. The alcohol warmth is throughout, but there's a nice crisp peppery & earthy phenolic finish.<br /><br />Very drinkable, especially for such a high alcohol content.<br />I certainly wouldn't turn down one (or two) of these again.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-33603395915697903052009-07-24T07:57:00.000-07:002009-07-24T08:13:28.041-07:00New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9YaIRWiWs49EZF9xzEj4AYfFIrP1OqvAHqXlAqOVthSFfYofd74uWf0IEcskXtWuvAtetEDu6cVwiLW2mCOVnOIOvtH-XbHLx8HXKchwTLFNRgG8qieVBWi1bYa7dzXRzbSf7XSb1fc/s1600-h/fat+tire.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9YaIRWiWs49EZF9xzEj4AYfFIrP1OqvAHqXlAqOVthSFfYofd74uWf0IEcskXtWuvAtetEDu6cVwiLW2mCOVnOIOvtH-XbHLx8HXKchwTLFNRgG8qieVBWi1bYa7dzXRzbSf7XSb1fc/s320/fat+tire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362041368916631170" border="0" /></a>Fat Tire Amber Ale, and American amber ale, 5.2% from New Belgium Brewing Inc, in Fort Collins, CO.<br /><br />I was pretty excited to try this one, since we don't get New Belgium stuff in Florida yet...but Georgia has it! So when we went to Cari's uncle's lake house in Georgia last week, I was able to try a commemorative Georgia 22oz bottle (basically the same label, but with a "Georgia" banner slapped on it).<br /><br />This beer is pretty famous as kind of a gateway craft beer...the beer that new craft beer drinkers list as their favorite, and old beer snobs dismiss as overrated.<br />My expectations may have been a little high.<br /><br />The beer pours a deep red/copper color, with a nice thick head, and crystal clarity. The smell? Hmm. I thought it might be somewhat Belgian-y, what with the company name and all. Nope. "This smells like a dirty bathroom," Cari said.<br />It's a little grassy, a bit peppery... and yeah, some urinal cake smells going on there. Not super-pleasant.<br /><br />The taste? Pretty biscuity. Usually the maltiness of a beer is described in a range from bready to biscuity to toasty and so forth. This is a pretty good example of biscuit flavors.<br />Mouthfeel is a little thin - there's some toastiness, but also some veggie/corn business, with a slight metallic edge.<br /><br />I gotta say I'm not a big fan. I drank a few, and it wasn't completely unpleasant, but I'm hoping some of their other offerings are a little better.James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8803786223685467713.post-75105790150212045482009-07-03T13:57:00.001-07:002009-07-03T14:13:34.860-07:00Southampton Publick House Altbier<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzpPWqdWdaLYPheZVfaf-tj5WXdwsdc5bzbFFXpaPQwPkSuwy7i-yX0i7DmpQJ8Mf2-Q-9r0-CDc2LXHz6SOt40MVu9pHD3UNpuQG1_v6LuG54Abf4XGCpAWhio0olrSqiTMaBr09O94/s1600-h/altbier.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354341185226309394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzpPWqdWdaLYPheZVfaf-tj5WXdwsdc5bzbFFXpaPQwPkSuwy7i-yX0i7DmpQJ8Mf2-Q-9r0-CDc2LXHz6SOt40MVu9pHD3UNpuQG1_v6LuG54Abf4XGCpAWhio0olrSqiTMaBr09O94/s320/altbier.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Altbier Düsseldorf-Style Ale from Southampton Publick House (NY) - 5% abv.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I was extremely excited to find an altbier when I took a side trip to ABC Wine & Spirits recently...they're impossible to find! Plus, I had just read a blurb somewhere about Southampton Publick House, so I was anxious to try one of their brews for the first time.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Not to mention this is a style I'm hoping to brew next, since it traditionally features Spalt hops (from the village my family comes from).</div><div> </div><div></div><div>What's an altbier, anyway? It's a German brown ale, translating literally to "old beer"... referring to the long period of conditioning, which mellows out ale's fruitier flavors. Marketing folks don't really want to put something out as an "old beer", so a few examples exist as a "Copper Ale" or "Amber Ale" in the States.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div>This particular example pours a deep copper/amber/brown, with crystal clarity.</div><div>It smells like ... a honey graham cracker, maybe a little grapey? It's super-sweet.</div><div>The taste is pretty much in line with the smell - sweet, sweet, sweet caramel malt with bready light hops way in the background. The aftertaste is delicious.</div><div> </div><div>Cari took one sip and declared, "Oh, that's good. That's <em>really</em> good."</div><div></div><div>It may be a little on the sweet side for the style, but it still remains fairly crisp and refreshing. </div><div>I think Cari and I will be fighting over the last one in the six pack.</div>James Weilhammerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00560068098459898326noreply@blogger.com0